Derbyshire GP, Dr Louise Clarke, elected as new DDLMC chair

Dr Louise Clarke has been elected as the new chair of Derby and Derbyshire Local Medical Committee (DDLMC).

Committee members officially welcomed Dr Clarke at a monthly meeting on Thursday, 5 March, following the election process.

She takes over from Dr Merryl Watkins, who is stepping down after four years in the role.

Dr Clarke said she is very excited about the prospect of representing and supporting GPs in Derby and Derbyshire at a time when the profession is being asked to do more, with less.

She said: “I'm a passionate advocate for general practice, for the independent contractor model of general practice, and for the future of general practice being able to deliver effective patient care, but in a way that is financially sustainable.

“The first thing for me to do is listen to people. So, I’d like to get out there, talk to colleagues around Derby and Derbyshire, go into practices, PCNs, speak to the hospitals and the ICB, and find out what is concerning people, day to day.

“As a committee, we are there to listen. I want to hear all the diverse voices across general practice and will be guided by those initial conversations.

Dr Clarke said that longer term she’d like the committee to coordinate more pushback on unfunded work, as there is a lot of work GPs do for free.

She said: “General practice seems to be the default when there isn’t a service commissioned. I think we need to be recognised for that extra work we’re doing, and push back on some things, but also find out where those commissioning gaps are and try and get services commissioned.”

Dr Clarke is a GP at Parkside Surgery, Alfreton, and represents Arch Primary Care Network (PCN) on the DDLMC, which she joined as a committee member in April 2025.

She thanked everyone who voted for her, as well as outgoing chair Dr Watkins, for her support.

She added: “Merryl is fantastic – she makes everyone feel welcome on the committee. She’s a great facilitator of committee discussions and a driving force for ensuring everyone’s voice is heard. She has done some great work with the organisation and has been incredibly supportive of me already.”

Dr Merryl Watkins said: “I’d like to congratulate Dr Clarke on her appointment and feel confident the DDLMC is in safe hands.

“She is dedicated to representing general practice and, as chair, she will advocate for their future and the safety of patients.

“I’d also like to thank Dr Tobiasiewicz for standing in the election and will value her continued contribution as a strong committee member.”